by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Renowned producer Mark Barrott used the alias Future Loop Foundation in the mid-1990s, and under it he made two albums of ambient drum and bass, along with a number of EPs. Here they have been assembled with a clutch of stand-alone tracks and remixes, previously unreleased demos and a live track.

The two albums in question are Time And Bass, from 1996, and Conditions For Living, released two years later – made at a time when the reach of drum and bass was extending well beyond the club and into the home.

What’s the music like?

There are plenty of highs in Barrott’s music as Future Loop Foundation, right from the heady Discovery, with which Time And Bass begins. The clipped rhythm and spacey backdrop are perfect chill out material but there is a mass of positive energy here, enforced by the swirly textures of Kinetic Pioneers. The piano-led Journey’s End is a treat, but what stands out about the first album is Barrott’s consistency, setting a warm summery mood but utilising rhythms with a huge amount of movement and drive.

The beats get stronger and heavier on Conditions For Living, and the mood gets darker as the title track asks, “what kind of world are we living in?” Sadly it’s as relevant now as it was then. Barrott takes more risks here, to good effect on the woozy, mysterious Omerta, which blossoms into a bassy track with piano floating above. There is some inventive, long form drum and bass here, and the quickfire beats of Moog Road are a particular thrill. Karma packs a punch, suggesting a lesson learned.

The set of singles and bonus tracks is the ideal complement. Sonic Drift blends piano, warm chords and the syncopated rhythms that Barrott made a signature of his style, while the Lo-Fi Dub of Discovery shows how versatile the music could be when reworked. Darwin Sound skates along energetically, while an energetic live version of Shake The Ghost wraps things up.

Does it all work?

It does. Some of the tracks are lengthy – a habit of the time in the mid-1990s – but in this case that gives the listener a good deal of time to get fully immersed in the music. Barrott’s productions are excellent.

Is it recommended?

Absolutely. The music is very much of its time…but happily 1990s drum ‘n’ bass has aged extremely well, and the Future Loop Foundation with it. Great stuff that is well worth revisiting.

For fans of… Alex Reece, LTJ Bukem, Adam F., 4hero

Listen / Buy

For streaming and purchase details, visit the Cherry Red Records website

Published post no.2,506 – Thursday 17 April 2025